The present invention generally concerns adjustable beds where the contour of the upper surface of the bed is adjustable, and high-low adjustable beds that are adjustable in elevation above a floor as well as in contour.
The present invention particularly concerns adjustable, and high-low adjustable, beds that sell, ship, and assemble as modules.
As reported in the entry “Adjustable bed” appearing in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia of the Internet circa 2008, “[a]n adjustable bed is a bed which has a multi-hinged lying surface which can be profiled to a number of different positions. Common adjustment includes inclining the upper body and raising the lower body independently of each other. Other common features include height adjustment and tilting the bed to raise the upper body or the lower body into the Anti-Trendelenburg/Trendelenburg positions.
“Adjustable beds have been used in hospitals for a long time, but have become more commonly used in home care over the past three decades, as they have been found to provide relief from various conditions. Adjustable beds used in hospitals and home care are similar in basic functionality, however hospital beds must be able to withstand more rigorous and regular cleaning in order to reduce contamination and therefore any electrical bed components used in the hospital environment need to meet minimum waterproofing standards in order to withstand the cleaning process. Home care beds are less likely to be subjected to such intense cleaning, even if used within a care home, and this allows manufacturers to design beds whose aesthetics match home furnishings by using divan style beds or by using wooden veneer and laminates . . . .
“The increased popularity of motorized adjustable beds for home care is also partly due to the benefits provided to the care giver, by allowing them to work at a comfortable height and reduce the risk of back injuries. Height adjustment and raising the upper body also assists users in getting out of bed with little or no assistance dependent on their condition.”
In the Trendelenburg position the head is lower than the feet. In the anti-Trendelenburg position the feet are lower than the head. The head of a bed may be adjustable under force of a motor, and the base also, normally by a separate motor. A bed that may be elevated or depressed simultaneously in both its head and foot regions is called a “high-low bed” or, when adjustable, a “high-low adjustable bed”, or, when fully motorized with up to four motors, “a motorized high-low adjustable bed”.
Many beds, and motorized beds, and adjustable beds, and motorized adjustable beds, exist to realize these Trendelenburg and anti-Trendelenburg positions, which are variously useful in therapies for various afflictions. Specific beds are reviewed not for being of particular pertinence to the modular assemblable bed of the present invention but only so that it may be seen from these references that a fully motorized high-low adjustable bed is not a trivial example of mechanical engineering but is, indeed, a highly evolved and highly efficient and effective design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,562 for a Birthing bed adjustable to Trendelenburg position concerns a birthing bed has a base, an intermediate frame mounted on the base with a power-actuated linkage to raise and lower the intermediate frame with respect to the base. A main frame is pivotally mounted on the intermediate frame so that it can be shifted from a horizontal position to an inclined Trendelenburg position. The intermediate frame is adapted to be lowered to bring the patient support surface to a very low level. In that level, the bed can be shifted to a Trendelenburg position with limit switches causing the intermediate frame to rise in order to accommodate the shift of the main frame to the inclined Trendelenburg position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,010 for an ADJUSTABLE HOSPITAL BED INSTANTLY MOVABLE TO A TRENDELENBURG POSITION concerns a hospital bed having articulated head and foot elevation linkage systems that effect vertical movement of an upper horizontal frame, to which a mattress supporting structure is attached, with respect to a fixed lower horizontal frame. Rapid shifting to a trendelenburg position is achieved by providing, in the foot linkage system, an extendible segment having a pair of elongated links one of which is slidably and rectilinearly movable in the other. The segment maybe quickly extended and locked, and by so doing the upper frame becomes tilted at a desired trendelenburg angle with its foot end raised relative to its head end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,972 for an Elevating and Trendelenburg mechanism for an adjustable bed concerns an improved control and locking device for a hospital bed such as that disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 496,212, used to provide a positive lock of the hospital bed in a Trendelenburg or reverse Trendelenburg position and eliminate the capability to manually or inadvertently remove the bed from such position. As depicted herein, the locking device is a pivotal abutment which normally precludes release of a hook holding the bed in a Trendelenburg position. Yet, when the entire bed is raised by its electric motor, the abutment is automatically withdrawn from its abutting, locking position to permit the bed to lower under electric power.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,283 for an Elevating and Trendelenburg mechanism for an adjustable bed concerns an elevating and Trendelenburg mechanism for a hospital bed providing elevated Trendelenburg positions and positive latching of cooperating members. Two torque tubes pivotally attach to an elevating frame. Lift arms welded to the torque tubes support the frame at various elevations. A motor on the frame produces rotation of a yoke pivotally attached to one of the torque tubes. The yoke abuts a first drive arm rigidly attached to the tube to lift one end of the frame, and a second drive arm pivotally attached to the tube. A rod connects the second drive arm to a pivot plate as a second rod connects the pivot plate to a third drive arm welded to the other torque tube to lift the other end of the bed. When the frame raises to about its maximum height, one of two hooks on the frame may prevent the first or second drive arm from following a receding yoke, with the result that one end of the bed remains elevated while the other lowers. When not so engaged with the hooks, the second and third drive arms latch onto the yoke to prevent externally produced relative motion of the components.
Examples of ready-to-assemble or take-apart furniture is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,837 (Swilley); U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,378 (Oyediran); U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,938 (Jones); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,695 (Kahwaji).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,837 discloses a portable multipurpose chair that can be easily assembled and disassembled for transport storage and use. The chair components include right and left hand leg members, a seat member, a back member, an arm member having right and left hand arm portions joined by an interconnecting section, and a support member. The main components are planar and configured as an equilateral triangle or are based on an equilateral triangle. The components are formed with slots to interlock and connect one component to another. A back support includes dowel holes for a seat support and the sides include dowel holes at their apex for facilitating assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,378 discloses a “take-apart chair” comprising a seat, a pair of side pieces each having a back and seat support portion, a backrest and a brace member. The aforementioned pieces comprise hooks and notches designed for fixing them to each other in order to assemble the chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,938 describes items of furniture having interlocking parts formed of basic geometric shapes. In one embodiment a chair is formed of a circular back-support part, a triangular seat and square legs arranged parallel to each other. The parts are slotted to receive slots of equal depth formed in mating parts so that the assembled furniture item is strong and stable. The furniture is particularly intended to have aesthetic appeal and teach children about basic shapes, the art of design, and the art of construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,695 shows a chair assembly having detachably fitting parts. Vertically arranged right ‘and left hand side chair supports include slots extending from the exterior profile of the first side support towards the center of the side support. A seat pan having extensions fits into two complementary slots of the right and left side supports. A back support having extensions also fits into two complementary slots of the right and left side supports. The seat pan and the back support may be independently adjusted so as to present various sitting positions.
International Application No. PCT/IL2007/000879 for ASSEMBLABLE FURNITURE relates to furniture intended for different uses such as a chair, an arm chair, a bed, an open cupboard, a stand, love-seat, sofa and the like. The structure shown and described is quite unlike the steel bed frame of the present invention, but similar requirements of strength, non-flexibility, safety and the like may be noted to be in common with the present invention. In the PCT application assemble-able furniture comprises a base (11) and a left side support part (14), a right side support part (15), a back part (12) and a front support part (13), each of said parts (12-15), not including the base (11), having a thickness and comprising two slots, said left side support part (14) and said right side support part (15) each comprising a front slot (50a; 50b) and a rear slot (40a;40b), and said back part (12) and front support part (13) each comprising a right slot (30b;60a) and a left slot (30a,-60b), each slot disposed and dimensioned to correspond to and fit with another slot and a portion of a corresponding part, each slot having a width being slightly greater than the thickness of the portion of the part to which it corresponds upon assembly, wherein when the furniture is assembled, said parts mutually inter-fit at said slots to form a rectangular frame within which said base (11) rests; and said slots flare out at an angle such that said parts upwardly flare out when the furniture is assembled.
Most recently, United States Patent Application publication number 20070044235 for an Easily Assembled Bed Frame concerns a bed frame that can be assembled without the use of additional tools. The bed frame generally comprises a pair of spaced side rails, retainer brackets secured to each side rail, and cross support members extending between the side rails. Each retainer bracket has a base section for supporting one of the cross support members and an aperture extending through the base section. The apertures are aligned with threaded bores in the cross support members so that threaded portions of respective leg assemblies may be inserted through the apertures and used to secure the cross support members to the corresponding retainer brackets.
The “Minnen” extendable children's bed with iron bars of the IKEA company has proven to be a popular, but troubled, consumer product, namely, the bed was pulled from the UK market after it was involved in the death of a 21-month-old girl. The children's bed involved was made on Aug. 24, 2008, Swedish furniture giant IKEA. A Nottinghamshire child strangled to death as she tried to retrieve a doll from the bed after waking from a nap, her head caught between the bed's iron bars, newspaper the Daily Mirror reports.
IKEA stopped the sale of the bed, named “Minnen” pending police investigation of the accident in Great Britain, but the model continued on sale in Scandinavia. IKEA Norway found no reason to believe there was a direct connection between the bed and the tragic accident in England, and the “Minnen” bed remained on sale In Norway.
IKEA has sold 58,000 “Minnen” beds around the world since their introduction in March 2005.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,698 to Wall, Sr. for a UPS shippable adjustable articulating bed concerns an adjustable articulated bed with separate adjustable leg and head/back assemblies which support an articulating mattress. The bed is manufactured in three pieces specifically designed for economical shipping directly to consumers via United Parcel, FedEx or US Postal, and is easily assembled without tools. The appearance of the bed is similar to that of a standard bed box spring, or platform foundation and may be assembled and placed on a traditional metal frame, headboard, or footboard with side rails. Optional adjustable height legs are threadably attachable into support brackets connected to the bottom of each assembly to adjust the overall height of the bed. The three sections include a head support assembly with lifting arms pivotally attached to a head lifting frame and a deck panel attached thereatop to elevate the head and upper body; a leg support assembly with lifting arms pivotally attached to a two-part leg lifting frame with deck panels attached thereatop to elevate the legs; and a stationary center section supports the middle or buttocks area of the user. When the motor is attached between the leg and head support assemblies locking the assemblies together, the center section then slides into place there between. No tools, pins, clips or snaps are required for assembly.
Mentioned in the Background of the Invention section of this '698 patent are eight earlier U.S. patents. Those patents of some four inventors that appear to be most pertinent to the present invention seem to be.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,410 to Elliott, et al., disclose an articulated adjustable bed with a single motor which raises the first adjustable section and, through the linkage, the second adjustable section. Another adjustable articulated bed is disclosed by the same inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,784. Bathrick, et al., disclose articulated beds in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,063,623 and 5,568,661. U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,623 is directed to a power module for an articulated bed and the '661 patent is directed to an articulated bed with a modified standard frame supporting an independent power module. Palmer, Jr., et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,150, teach a device for converting a flat bed into an adjustable bed utilizing an articulating platform sandwiched between the box springs and the mattress.
And, finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,011 Antinori teaches an adjustable bed with a first frame and a second slide frame connected thereon. Although the goals of the present invention and the prior art particularly including the '698 patent are similar, the '698 patent, in particular and despite its Florida-based inventor, describes a system for an adjustable bed that is widely used in Europe. Although economical of construction, this system has, alas, proven to be flimsy and manifestly unsuitable for the larger people of the United States. Worse, the method and means of attaching the sections of the UPS SHIPPABLE ADJUSTABLE ARTICULATING BED of the '698 patent is neither particularly strong, nor rigid, and entire adjustable bed is rendered unstable by potential excessive motion, and even disconnection resulting from mechanical failure, between the preferred three sections of the adjustable bed.
The present invention will be seen to teach a system for connecting modular sections of an adjustable bed which system is very strong, and rigid, nonetheless to being assembled without tools, and particularly without such tools as might provide compressive connection, such as with and by the tightening of nuts and bolts.
As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,698 to Wall, Sr. for a UPS shippable adjustable articulating bed, “Adjustable beds for comfort and therapy are extremely well known and provide support surfaces for a mattress which will incline the back/head of a user to any desired angle and will also separately incline the legs of the user for both comfort and therapeutic purposes. However, these articulated beds include mattress support or deck structure and motor driven power units which, in their assembled form, are extremely heavy and exceed all conventional economical shipping means available and therefore fall into categories of freight shipping costs which are substantially higher in shipping rates.
“The substantially higher . . . [f]reight charges can exceed $150 [circa 2006] and delivery and assembly costs for each adjustable twin bed, for example, weighing over 170 lbs. requires a two-man delivery team . . . [Such additional costs can themselves approach the cost of a conventional bed frame, and exceed $300.00.]
“The popularity of adjustable beds increased when advertising programs became directed toward consumers with health or sleeping disorders or simply to recline while reading or watching television. Being manufactured primarily in conventional bedding sizes, the ease with which these inclining beds fitted into a bedroom situation [has] greatly increased usage.
“The construction of adjustable bed bases has changed very little over the past thirty years. Most adjustable bed bases are constructed with angle iron frames. A linear actuator lift motor is attached to pivotally connected lifting arms which independent raise and lower the head/back portion and segmented leg portions; typically moving about a stationary transverse mid torso or buttocks support area. A plywood or particle board deck with upholstered padding is attached to the lifting arms and decorative wood or laminate panels are applied to the sides of the exposed metal frame for a finished appearance . . . ”